The past decade has seen a dramatic change in the world of Cape wine. In the years leading to the 1994 election producers operated in an environment isolated by sanctions. The industry was subject to substantial statutory constraints which included a minimum pricing regime directed by the KWV. Vineyards were dominated by white varieties (chenin blanc represented over 30% of total plantings). Production took place mainly at cooperative cellars. About 90% of growers delivered their grapes to third parties for processing. There were fewer than 300 wineries in the entire country.

Today the number of cellars has more than doubled. The share of white cultivars has dropped significantly, exports exceed domestic production and South Africa has just overtaken France in terms of volumes supplied to the UK market. Unsurprisingly a new generation of winemakers is now in charge of the Cape's fine wine production, with many of the key players under 40 years old. This means that all were students - or at least no more than 25 - when Mandela became president.

In Oz Clarke's words, they were the 'cellar rats' who saw South Africa's defeat against Australia in the 1995 wine 'test' match as a challenge, rather than an irretrievably damaging loss of face. Open to - and able to profit from - international exposure, they have surfed the wave which has brought South Africa to the forefront of the New World's wine-producing nations.

Most appear to be very clear as to who are the leaders. In a recent survey I conducted among those who already enjoy a reputation, there was general unanimity in their ratings of their peers. The same questionnaire distributed  to a few critics and commentators pretty much corroborated the results of the original peer group response.

Most names came as no surprise: achievements in the world of wine are not arrived at overnight. By the time someone earns the respect of the producer community he (or she) has several successful vintages behind him. Those whose names appeared on almost all the ballots include Chris Mullineux, formerly of Tulbagh Mountain Vineyards and now, with his wife Andrea, responsible for his own Mullineux Family Wines. Together with Eben Sadie (Sadie Family Vineyards/Columella), Gottfried Mocke (Cape Chamonix), Carl van der Merwe (Quoin Rock) and Duncan Savage (Cape Point Vineyards) these were the winemakers' preferred producers.

Extending the ballot to commentators and critics added a couple of names to the list of those garnering top votes: Marc Kent (Boekenhoutskloof), Miles Mossop (Tokara) and Adi Badenhorst (Badenhorst Family Wines) were now in the same bracket. Some doubts about the cut-off age of 40 yielded additional votes for Rianie Strydom (Haskell/Dombeya), Adam Mason (Klein Constantia) and Abrie Beeslaar (Kanonkop). Very few wanted to commit to a vote for a list of under-30-year-old winemakers (though Peter-Allan Finlayson's name came up, for obvious reasons).

This tempted me conduct a further survey of the present leaders of the pack. This time round I received fewer responses. Perhaps this appears a more intimidating task, perhaps it was assumed (not incorrectly) that most of the likely candidates (whether older or younger than 40) are not really making the wine any more - they are simply factory managers. Still, even here there was some consistency. Gyles Webb (Thelema), Neil Ellis, Beyers Truter, Marc Kent, Eben Sadie and Andre van Rensburg were pretty much on everyone's list - and several appeared again in response to a question of the best winemakers at the higher volume (over 900000 litre) cellars.

What we are seeing here is a curious fracture-line in how the industry is evolving. The smart youngsters are generally shaping their own destiny, choosing to work with smaller volumes and aiming - above all else - to achieve expression of place. The generation before them sought something bigger - volumes which would give them critical mass with which to take on international markets. This is also not surprising: they were the post 1994 trailblazers, and the world was truly their oyster.